Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Stone Temple Pilots Debut New Single with New Singer "Roll Me Under"


Stone Temple Pilots have been through some serious hell and back in their day. Not only have both iconic singers they have had died, but now they have to pretty much build their reputation back from the ground up with new singer former X-Factor competitor Jeff Gutt. Their second newly released single "Roll Me Under" seems to be a good start.

"Roll Me Under" definitely has a real STP vibe to it. It rumbles, booms, and grinds where it needs to. I wouldn't say it is anywhere near their best work, but it is still a solid rocker. I could definitely have pictured Scott Weiland singing this. That said, Gutt does a plenty serviceable job at the mic for this tune even if he does sound a little too much like his predecessor.

I'm definitely looking forward to the new STP album if it sounds anything like this. It's out on March 16th, by the way. Whatever we get will be some serious balls to the wall stuff, though I'm just hoping that Gutt doesn't sound too much like Weiland on the rest of the record. I don't really like it when bands get a new singer that sounds like their old one. It makes it seem like they are stuck in the past.


Monday, January 29, 2018

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow to Release New Studio Track With "Memories in Rock II" Live Album



It's been pretty exciting the past couple of years to see Ritchie Blackmore play his first rock shows in two decades with a new incarnation of Rainbow. The past couple of summers he has done a small handful of shows in Germany and the UK. Now Blackmore is planning on releasing a new studio track along with the upcoming Memories in Rock II live Rainbow album of the 2017 shows.

The video above showcases Blackmore and other members of the Rainbow band and crew talking about the experience and how great it has all been and mentions the coming album.

So far no release date details for Memories in Rock II have been mentioned, nor any other details for that matter such as what tracks will be on it or what the new song will be.

Last year Rainbow recorded a couple of studio tracks, but all they were were a rerecording of "I Surrender" and their instrumental version of "Land of Hope and Glory". Personally, I'm hoping that this will be a brand new original song with singer Ronnie Romero howling away on the mic and the band ripping it up in true classic Rainbow fashion. Whether or not that's what we get is a whole other story.

I REALLY hope Rainbow does even one show in the U.S. I will pay any amount of money and travel as much distance as I have to in order to get to that show. Seeing Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow is a once in a lifetime kind of experience and is definitely NOT something you want to miss if you can help it.

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #150

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Baby Got Back, by Jonathan Coulton

One of the things I've always been rather amused by is when someone will take a well known classic rap song and turn it into a soulful, melodic ballad. Especially when it's one that is not meant to be that way. This song does exactly that. If anything, the singing makes this song in particular that much funnier than the original. If you're feeling kind of blue and need a good chuckle, this song is definitely what you need.


2. Walking in the Shadow of the Blues, by Whitesnake

This is classic old school pre-hair metal Whitesnake at its finest. David Coverdale puts real passion and soul into his lyrics and performance and guitarist Micky Moody plays one hell of a mean slide guitar. This is blues on some serious steroids. Definitely something worth cranking through the stereo. This sounds nothing like the Whitesnake most people are used to hearing, but it's definitely worth checking out. You might even like it better.




3. Ride the Sky, by Lucifer's Friend

If you ever wondered what it would sound like if Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin somehow managed to have a four-way love child together, look no further. Lucifer's Friend is exactly that, at least in their 1970 debut album anyway. Why they never got more big and famous than they did is beyond me, though of course the name of the band could have had something to do with it. Regardless, it's some great music to go back and revisit.




4. Catbot, by Joe Satriani

Satch put out a new album recently and it's pretty damn cool. I like this tune in particular because it showcases his charming eccentricity in some of the best ways I've seen it done in years. It really does sound like a song being made by a robotic cat. I get that picture so clearly in my head whenever I put it on. Honestly, I would love to see what would happen if you put this on in the vicinity of a real living cat.




5. The Threat is Real, by Megadeth

After quite a few albums that I felt were rather sub-par Megadeth came roaring back a couple years back with a brand new album chocked full of fantastic new tunes with a brand new lead guitarist and drummer. Honestly, I think this is probably the best line-up that Megadeth has had since its classic 90's Rust in Peace line-up. It's still not quite on the same level as that, but it's certainly not all that far behind. Hopefully this second wind of theirs carries on for a while.



Friday, January 26, 2018

Album Review: "What Happens Next", by Joe Satriani



After retiring the onstage persona that he played during performances for so many years in his last album Shockwave Supernova, guitar wizard Joe Satriani sought to make his next album more down to earth. More rooted in the reality of just a man with real hopes and dreams. The end result was Satch's newest studio effort, his 16th album What Happens Next.

Satch recruited a very special group of people to help him do this album. In the past he has frequently called on the same group of guys to act as his backing band, but this time around he wanted to do something different to freshen things up a bit.

This time Satch called on drummer and former Chickenfoot band mate Chad Smith (also from Red Hot Chili Peppers) as well as renowned bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Trapeze, Black Country Communion, etc. fame. There was very little keyboard involved, so the idea was to make a solid rocking power trio of them.

What Happens Next was recorded in both San Francisco as well as Los Angeles with famed rock producer Mike Fraser.

As mentioned before, What Happens Next follows a more straightforward approach to songwriting. Satch decided to ditch the progressive elements of his previous two albums and go for a more accessible approach that he referred to as "pure rock and soul".

Referring to What Happens Next as an 'internal artistic rebirth', Satch further expounded on what the aim and feel of the album ways, saying it was “about a human being, two feet on the ground, heart pumping, with emotions, dreams, and hopes. That seemed to be the direction I really was yearning for"

That said, the album certainly does seem to go with the vibe that Joe was aiming for. It does feel a lot more accessible to the average listener than Unstoppable Momentum and Shockwave Supernova. These songs feel more straightforward and not so confusing and boring to someone who isn't a music theory nerd. They have a pretty steady groove and flow that can easily be followed.

That's not to say that What Happens Next isn't creative in that special Joe Satriani way, though. It has his stamp all over it. You can hear it in the melodies, the song structures, the timbres, and even the methods by which certain sounds are achieved.

The song "Looper" especially manages to base an entire flowing and grooving song over the same guitar loop cycling through most of the song. It goes in so many directions with just the same cycle and it's astounding.

How does What Happens Next stack up against Joe's classic albums, though? It actually does so quite well. This record manages to bring together many of his styles from different periods of his career all into one cohesive record. You can hear a bit of Surfing With the Alien and Flying in a Blue Dream in some places and a bit of Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock and Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards in others. At the same time, you can still hear him pushing forward and not trying to rehash the past.

Joe DEFINITELY chose a good rhythm section for this record. Hughes and Smith interlock so tightly that they are an unstoppable force. They keep the deep earthy groove going while Joe does his wild, crazy fret board fireworks. It all comes together into some powerful music that spans so many spectrums of different genres.

Honestly though, you couldn't put this album into a particular genre. It's not rock. It's not metal. It's not prog. It's just Joe Satriani. You can hear just how much fun he and the guys are having making this record and that is what's most important here. If an artist loves what they're doing and his having fun with it, odds are their audience will too.

What Happens Next definitely sounds like Satch has been revitalized and his passion for the electric guitar has come roaring back louder and more fierce than ever. It is a lot of fun from start to finish and it will definitely help you feel a wide variety of emotions without a single word being sung. That is the one thing Satch has always been best and continues to get better at as he gets more experienced. That said, this record is a must have for fans of Joe Satriani and rock n' roll alike.

What Happens Next, by Joe Satriani receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Energy
2. Catbot
3. Thunder High on the Mountain
4. Cherry Blossoms
5. Righteous
6. Smooth Soul
7. Headrush
8. Looper
9. What Happens Next
10. Super Funky Badass
11. Invisible
12. Forever and Ever

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/What-Happens-Next-Joe-Satriani/dp/B075QZCFFL/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517003455&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Joe+Satriani+What+Comes+Next

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Throwback Thursday: "Dehumanizer", by Black Sabbath



Throughout the 80's Black Sabbath went through numerous line-up changes, the only consistent member being guitarist Tony Iommi. The most popular of the post-Ozzy Osbourne line-ups though was the classic one of Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass, Vinny Appice on drums, and Ronnie James Dio on the mic. In 1982 that line-up split up, causing the band to go into a downward spiral. In 1992 however, for a brief moment they managed to patch things up well enough to do another album together, known as Dehumanizer.

Dehumanizer is arguably the heaviest Black Sabbath album ever recorded. Iommi's riffs are gargantuan monsters and the drums and bass just pound through the speakers. This of course can be partly attributed to the high level of studio production, but let's not take away the credit where it's due either. Dio wrote some of his darkest lyrics of his career on this album with topics ranging from fear for a computer controlled future, doubts about the afterlife, being a monster, and more.

"Computer God" is one hell of a way start an album. It builds tension with the sounds of metal being hit until it turns into a drum beat followed by a gigantic wall of sound from Iommi and Butler. It hits you over and over, giving you a minor reprieve in the bridge with Ronnie's soft singing backed by a light arpeggio riff until you get dragged along by the balls for a blistering fast solo section up until the song comes crashing to an end.

"I". Just one simple letter, yet it represents one of the most powerful and heavy songs Black Sabbath ever put to a recording. I and many others have looked to it as a source of self-affirmation because that essentially is one of the meanings you can glean from it. It stomps around and crushes buildings, making you feel like you are an unstoppable force of nature. Never have I heard Dio sound so angry and evil in a song. It's chilling in a way.

Dehumanizer is definitely one of the most under rated Black Sabbath albums in the catalog. It's not the best of the Dio albums, but even the least good of those is still AMAZING. Monstrous riffs, blistering solos, well written lyrics, thundering booming rhythms, and an overall dark, empty, chilling atmosphere await ye who play this record. I can guarantee you'll like it better than some of the Ozzy era songs for sure.

Dehumanizer, by Black Sabbath receives 3.75 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Computer God
2. After All (The Dead)
3. TV Crimes
4. Letters From Earth
5. Master of Insanity
6. Time Machine
7. Sins of the Father
8. Too Late
9. I
10. Buried Alive

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Dehumanizer-Remastered-Black-Sabbath/dp/B001MCOXIK/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1516939777&sr=8-1&keywords=black+sabbath+dehumanizer

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Elton John to Retire from Touring



There seems to be a massive wave of artists deciding to hang it up and call it a day lately. Many of them are the ones that actually made an impact unlike a lot of today's bands and artists. The latest addition to the list of farewells is none other than Sir Elton John.

In a recent press conference John announced that his priorities are changing and that being on the road is getting to be more and more tiring and distracting, saying:

"My priorities have changed in life, but we had children and that changed our lives. ... My priorities now are my family and my husband. I thought the time is right to say thank you to all of my fans and then to say goodbye. That doesn't mean I won't be creative, but I'm not gonna travel anymore."

The tour will be titled the Farewell Yellowbrick Road Tour and will go for about three years. After that, John will be hanging up his sparkly coat and enjoying a well deserved retirement.

I can't say I blame Elton for wanting to retire from the road, especially at his age after everything he has managed to achieve. There does come a point where you should spend what time you have left enjoying time with the ones who matter most to you. He definitely has reached that and deserves to do so.

Monday, January 22, 2018

Slayer to Call it a Day With Final World Tour



I know for many of us we have a hard time thinking of the Big Four of thrash metal getting old and finally calling it a day. For the longest time each band has continued to go on strong. However, Slayer according to the video above has decided to be the first of them to hang it up and retire with one final world tour.

This is not a total shock, however. Back in 2016 bassist and vocalist Tom Araya in an interview with Loudwire expressed a desire to give up the touring life because of how tiring it can be, saying:

"After 35 years, it's time to collect my pension. This is a career move. Where's my pension? I'm grateful that we've f---ing been around for 35 years. That's a really long time. When we started off, everything was great, because you're young and invincible.

And then there came a time where I became a family man, and I had a tough time flying back and forth. At the level we're at now, I can do that. I can fly home when I want to on days off and spend some time with my family, which is something I wasn't able to do when [my kids] were growing up. Now they're both older and mature. So now I take advantage of that. It just gets harder and harder to come back out on the road. 35 years is a long time."

Personally I can't say I blame Araya or the band for wanting to hang it up for multiple reasons. For one thing, at this point only half the original band is left. Without Jeff Hanneman or Dave Lombardo they lack a significant chunk of the true spirit of the band. A lot of what Slayer has put out in recent years to me has honestly sounded boring and uninspired and I think a good portion of it is because of the lack of key members as well as the fact there is only so much you can do with the same subject matter. It's better to end it now before the legacy gets tarnished any further.

Sunday, January 21, 2018

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #149

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Connected By Love, by Jack White

Out of nowhere recently the former White Stripes and Raconteurs front man put out a new single from his upcoming third solo studio album Boarding House Reach. Oddly enough he chose to go with a ballad for the first single, but then again this wouldn't be the first time he has done something like this. Regardless, it's definitely got a lot of passion and soul to it and manages to blend the old and the new seamlessly.




2. Money, by Of Mice & Men

If you are willing to keep an open mind and give a newer, heavier genre of music a try then you might like this more modern rendition of a Pink Floyd classic. Despite this particular band not being my normal cup of tea, I can still say that I feel they did a respectable job with this song. They had a lot of heart and love put into this and you can tell they were having fun. At the end of the day, that's what really matters when making music.




3. Song for You, by Rhye

If you like soft 70's R&B then this might just be up your alley. This is a newer band, but they seem to capture the essence of that period in time flawlessly. At the same time they manage to do something interesting by making the beat behind it have this Bossa nova vibe to it. It's an interesting take on something that would normally be considered dated. I love it when older styles of music seem to make a comeback in sneaky ways.



4. Satch Boogie, by Joe Satriani

I know instrumental music isn't for everybody, but I still think a lot of you would like this. If you love ripping and running bluesy songs, then this is right up your alley. In this song Satch proved that he could not only do artsy guitar music, but also do down and dirty good time rock n' roll as well. Probably better than most guitarists of the 60's-80's. It's upbeat, loud, and one hell of a good time should you choose to indulge.




5. Lightning Strike, by Judas Priest

Judas Priest are back and they are better than ever. In this first single from their upcoming album Firepower they go back to basics, but in such a way where it doesn't completely sound like they are just rehashing the past. They sound completely revitalized and like they really enjoy what they are doing. The addition of guitarist Richie Faulkner seems to have been a real blessing to them now that he has had time to really meld with the band.



Saturday, January 20, 2018

Tom Petty's Cause of Death Revealed



This past October, the world lost one of the greatest rock n' rollers to ever pick up a six string: Tom Petty. The loss was a major shock to the world and up until now the cause of death had been unknown.

In an official statement released by Petty's family, it was revealed that he died of an accidental overdose on the pain medication Fentanyl - which was being taken to deal with the unbearable pain of a fractured and broken hip.

I personally had no idea that Petty was dealing with such awful pain. This makes me feel even worse for his death because all he was trying to do was cope with physical pain until he could get the problem properly addressed by medical professionals. I have no idea what that kind of pain is like, but if it was as excruciating as it sounds, I can't say I blame him for trying anything he could to deal with it.

The full statement can be read below:

"Our family sat together this morning with the Medical Examiner – Coroner’s office and we were informed of their final analysis that Tom Petty passed away due to an accidental drug overdose as a result of taking a variety of medications.

Unfortunately Tom’s body suffered from many serious ailments including emphysema, knee problems and most significantly a fractured hip.

Despite this painful injury he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans and he toured for 53 dates with a fractured hip and, as he did, it worsened to a more serious injury.

On the day he died he was informed his hip had graduated to a full on break and it is our feeling that the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his over use of medication.

We knew before the report was shared with us that he was prescribed various pain medications for a multitude of issues including Fentanyl patches and we feel confident that this was, as the coroner found, an unfortunate accident.

As a family we recognize this report may spark a further discussion on the opioid crisis and we feel that it is a healthy and necessary discussion and we hope in some way this report can save lives.

Many people who overdose begin with a legitimate injury or simply do not understand the potency and deadly nature of these medications.

On a positive note we now know for certain he went painlessly and beautifully exhausted after doing what he loved the most, for one last time, performing live with his unmatchable rock band for his loyal fans on the biggest tour of his 40 plus year career. He was extremely proud of that achievement in the days before he passed.

We continue to mourn with you and marvel at Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' incredible positive impact on music and the world. And we thank you all for your love and support over the last months.

Thank you also for respecting the memory of a man who was truly great during his time on this planet both publicly and privately.

We would be grateful if you could respect the privacy of the entire Heartbreaker family during this difficult time.

Dana Petty and Adria Petty"

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Throwback Thursday: "Lovehunter", by Whitesnake


In 1979 a relatively unknown bluesy rock n' roll band by the name of Whitesnake that included former members of Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale and organ player Jon Lord was starting to pick up a bit of traction. They had already released an EP and a debut album that has received some decent feedback. Now though, they wanted to build on the foundation they had just laid down and make something even better. The result was their sophomore effort and arguably superior release Lovehunter.

Lovehunter follows similar territory to their previous album Trouble in that the music is loud and rocking, but very blues based. However, this time around there is a lot more slide guitar and open tunings featured. You can hear more of the old school blues influence shining through rather than them just trying to make another 70's hard rock album. Sadly none of the songs from it get played on the radio or even by the band itself any more, but it definitely contains some of their best work.

Long Way From Home was the only single that made it anywhere in the charts from Lovehunter, though it's easy to see why. From the first chord that's struck to the final hit of the drum it is very bright, melodic, and full of sunshiny positive energy. It blends in very well with other radio friendly rock singles of the time. In a way, it almost sounds like a late 70's/early 80's family friendly sitcom theme. That said, it's still worth cranking up.

Walking in the Shadow of the Blues is arguably the best track on the album aside from a couple others. It has this sexy steady chugging riff to it backed up by some top notch slide guitar playing from Mickey Moody (who in my opinion is a severely under rated guitar player along with Bernie Marsden). Coverdale really steals the show though with his chest beating soulful singing and lyrics about living the blues. How this isn't considered a major classic is beyond me.

I'm still happy to have all of the flamboyant hair metal stuff that we got from Whitesnake in the late 80's, but it's albums like Lovehunter that made me and still make me love them in the first place. Some tracks on the album are better than others, but there are no straight up bad ones. You can tell the band was gelling more as a unit and that they were having a lot of fun with what they were doing. It's a great way to have a rocking good time.

Lovehunter, by Whitesnake receives 3.8 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Long Way From Home
2. Walking in the Shadow of the Blues
3. Help Me Through the Day
4. Medicine Man
5. You 'n' Me
6. Mean Business
7. Love Hunter
8. Outlaw
9. Rock n' Roll Women
10. We Wish You Well

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Lovehunter-Whitesnake/dp/B00BKBJ80G/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1516334731&sr=8-1&keywords=Whitesnake+Lovehunter

Jack White Announces Dates for 2018 North American Tour



It's been over three years since the last time former White Stripes and Raconteurs front man Jack White went out on tour. He has been taking an extended break since the end of his tour for his 2014 release Lazaretto in order to recuperate. Now though, he has announced the first batch of North American tour dates for this year in order to promote his upcoming third solo album Boarding House Reach.

 The pre-sale for members of Third Man Records Vault starts January 22nd. The general public sale begins January 26th. Both will be at 10AM local time. There will also be a Ticketmaster Verified Fan pre-sale. Registration for that is now open and will end just before midnight on January 19.

For further details, go to Jack White's website.

Personally I'm unhappy and surprised that there are no Chicago dates on the current batch of dates listed. I have been wanting to see Jack live for YEARS. Maybe it will be in the next wave of dates announced, though. If not, I guess I'm taking a road trip to Detroit.

Jack White 2018 North American Tour Dates

April 19 - Little Caesars Arena - Detroit, Mich.
April 20 - Eagles Ballroom - Milwaukee, Wis.
April 21 - 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, Mich.
April 23 - Baxter Arena - Omaha, Neb.
April 24 - Providence Medical Center Amphitheater - Bonner Springs, Kan.
April 25 - Chaifetz Arena - St. Louis, Miss.
April 27 - Bomb Factory - Dallas, Texas
April 29 - Bomb Factory - Dallas, Texas
April 30 - Revention Music Center - Houston, Texas
May 1 - Revention Music Center - Houston, Texas
May 2 - Austin360 Amphitheater - Austin, Texas
May 4 - 6 - Shaky Knees Music Festival - Atlanta, Ga.
May 25 - 27 - Boston Calling Music Festival - Boston, Mass.
May 27 - Brewery Ommegang - Cooperstown, N.Y.
May 29 - The Anthem - Washington, D.C.
June 1 - 3 - Governors Ball Music Festival - New York, N.Y.
June 4 - Express Live! Outdoor Amphitheater - Columbus, Ohio
June 6 - Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica - Cleveland, Ohio
June 7 - Dome Arena - Rochester, N.Y.
June 8 - Artpark Mainstage Theater - Lewiston, N.Y.
June 9 - Budweiser Stage - Toronto, Ont.
Aug. 6 - The Armory - Minneapolis, Minn.
Aug. 8 - 1st Bank Center - Broomfield, Colo.
Aug. 9 - SaltAir - Salt Lake City, Utah
Aug. 11 - Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Portland, Ore.
Aug. 12 - Rogers Arena - Vancouver, B.C.
Aug. 13 - WAMU Theatre - Seattle, Wash.
Aug. 15 - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - San Francisco, Calif.
Aug. 19 - Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, Calif.
Aug. 21 - Viejas Arena - San Diego, Calif.
Aug. 22 - Comerica Theatre - Phoenix, Ariz.
Aug. 23 - The Chelsea @ The Cosmopolitan - Las Vegas, Nev.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Megadeth in No Rush to Put Out Another Album



Thrash metal kings Megadeth put out one hell of a big record with their 2016 release Dystopia - their 15th studio album. Though front man Dave Mustaine says the band is already throwing around some ideas for a new record, they are in no hurry to get back in the studio according to bassist and co-founder Dave Ellefson.

In a recent interview with Mitch Lafon (which can be found here) Ellefson talks about the success of Dystopia and plans for the future, saying:

“Moving forward, it's nice to know that Dystopia was a record that really reset the benchmark for what Megadeth is. I think one of the reasons that record worked is we rebuilt the lineup and the whole structure of Megadeth to a large degree.

We didn't have any tour dates, so we took as much time as we needed. And now, of course, the train is in motion and the phone rings and they're, like, 'Can you do the summer festivals?' 'Can you come to Mexico?’

I think the trick is making a great record, a follow-up to Dystopia, that we do make sure we take the time and make it right.”

Another reason Megadeth is slowing down some is because they no longer need to constantly crank out records in order to be able to get a tour. Ellefson continues on this subject, saying:

“Maybe for new bands, it's still like that. But for the most part, I think people just enjoy live music – they love festivals.

And, new album or not, they want to see you play – they want to see you on stage playing their favourite songs for them. So I think that, by and large, that's the calling of the music business right now.”

I've been saying for years that Megadeth needs to slow down, take a break from writing, and come back in four or five years with something fresh, thought out, and original. Something that brings that fire that Megadeth became famous for. Dystopia was definitely a great album (thanks to the line-up change, I'm sure) but I have a feeling that once they really take time to regroup they will come back with something jaw dropping and fantastic.

Sunday, January 14, 2018

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #148

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Sailing, by Guns N' Roses

Before I had heard this, had you told me that GN'R once did a cover of a Rod Stewart song I'd have laughed in your face and told you you were crazy. However, back in 2006 Axl Rose and his solo band that they were calling Guns N' Roses at the time decided to do it just for fun. Somehow though it turned into this grand, epic musical moment. They took a wimpy soft ballad and made it something so much bigger and better.




2. Gone Shootin', by AC/DC

This is one under appreciated AC/DC tune. It has this nice steady groove from the bass with this sexy blues lick played on the guitar throughout the verses. This is another example of where you hear the Young brothers' early blues influence shining through all the loud hard rocking. Bon Scott of course brings it all together with his dirty, sleazy, charismatic singing. This song deserves to be played and talked about just as much as any of the other big AC/DC hits for sure.




3. Love in Vain, by Eric Clapton

In my opinion, watching Eric Clapton play Robert Johnson songs is the next best thing to seeing the man himself playing them these days. Clapton has the guitar technique down pat and his voice has plenty of soul to back it up. You can tell that he absolutely loves what he is doing whenever he is playing one of those songs. This tune in particular is my absolute favorite Robert Johnson cover that he ever did. It has charm up the wazoo.




4. Turn to Stone, by Electric Light Orchestra

ELO has more hits and other great songs than you could ever count. This song is among them, and for great reason. It brings together the best of 70's dance music as well as classical into something unique and original for the time. Many people have tried to emulate, but never managed to duplicate the kind of magic this tune brings to your speakers. There is after all only one Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy.




5. Sidewinder, by Avenged Sevenfold

This in my opinion is one of A7X's coolest songs. It's loud, rocking, metal, and evil sounding, but that is by no means the highlight of the song. Honestly, the best part is the last couple minutes where lead guitarist Synyster Gates and his father Brian Haner who guest starred on the album take each other on in an acoustic flamenco duel that flows from one part to the next incredibly smoothly while showing off the same kind of smoking chops you know them to have on electric.



Friday, January 12, 2018

Of Mice & Men Cover Pink Floyd Classic "Money"



LA based metalcore band Of Mice & Men have made a rather bold move by deciding to give their treatment to a Pink Floyd classic. The song in question is "Money" (which can be listened to above), from the band's 1973 masterpiece Dark Side of the Moon.

As you might be able to guess, this cover is a much louder and heavier than the original Pink Floyd version. Definitely a lot more modern. Now I know a lot of you old timers aren't really willing to give such a thing a chance because of how set in your ways you are, but if you can try to be open minded for just a few minutes you might be pleasantly surprised.

As I said, this cover definitely has a different flavor than the original, but that doesn't make it bad. It could easily be its own song, though elements of the original still shine through in all the right places. Metalcore definitely isn't my jive, but I think in this instance I'll make an exception because I was pretty pleased with how this cover turned out.

Check out my latest work on Salute!

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Throwback Thursday: "Ace of Spades", by Motorhead



This week's Throwback Thursday is dedicated to the memory of Fast Eddie Clarke, who passed away today. Mr. Clarke played guitar on Motorhead's most famous album: Ace of Spades.

By 1980 proto-thrash metal band Motorhead had been slowly but surely building up their popularity among the punk and metal fan bases by putting out two fairly successful albums, numerous TV appearances, and almost non-stop touring. The band finally broke into the big time though when they put out their best known album, a masterpiece of high octane no holds barred rock n' roll called Ace of Spades. This acted as the jumping point for them, blasting them into the stratosphere.

Ace of Spades is an interesting album because it has that fast, driving, raw punk sentiment but at the same time it has the musical chops to keep up with any heavy metal band any day of the week. This is straightforward, no frills rock n' roll. It's big, loud, and sleazy. Nothing profound lyrically or technical musically about it. Just the way a good rock n' roll album should be. There is a reason it has become as influential and stood the test of time as much as it has.

"Ace of Spades" is the song that everyone knows Motorhead for best. That fast, crunchy opening bass line is one of the most iconic in music history. When the drums come thundering in, you just know you're about to be grabbed by the balls and dragged along for one hell of a good rocking time. From the moment the song starts until it ends there is no space to breathe. It's full of adrenaline rush and raw, unfiltered attitude.

Not everything on Ace of Spades was just straight up speed and volume, though. "Fast and Loose" has one hell of a nice swing to it. It's still chocked full of power and thrill, but it's a nice change of pace and adds a bit of variety to the overall sound of the album. You might hear some minor similarities between it and a bit of Kiss's early stuff, which isn't entirely surprising. There is even a bit of vocal harmony toward the end, which adds a nice bit of flavor as well.

Ace of Spades is one of the quintessential hard rock and heavy metal albums. Not a single bad track on it. For every young rocker who wants to learn all about the greats and have a blueprint for how to make rock n' roll, Ace of Spades is a must. There is so much to enjoy and learn from here. Even if you're not a musician it's still a fantastic album to rock out to if you want something raw, loud, and kick-ass with no commercial sounding gloss.

Ace of Spades, by Motorhead receives 4 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Ace of Spades
2. Love Me Like a Reptile
3. Shoot You in the Back
4. Live to Win
5. Fast and Loose
6. (We Are) The Road Crew
7. Fire, Fire
8. Jailbait
9. Dance
10. Bite the Bullet
11. The Chase is Better Than the Catch
12. The Hammer

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Ace-Spades-Explicit-Mot%C3%B6rhead/dp/B01JTHLMCY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1515719818&sr=8-5&keywords=Ace+of+Spades

Check out my latest article on Salute!

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Eric Clapton Going Deaf



Blues master Eric Clapton sadly is progressing ever forward into old age, and thus dealing with some of the problems that come with being an older rock star. Aside from having chronic nerve problems that affect his hands and back, recently Clapton announced he is dealing with tinnitus and is thus going deaf.

For those of you who don't know, tinnitus is a hearing problem that is caused by prolonged exposure to excessive noise. This is something not at all uncommon to rock n' rollers who have been playing loud shows for a number of decades.

In a recent interview with BBC Radio 2 Clapton talks about the condition and what his current plans are, saying:

"I am still going to work. I'm doing a few gigs. The only thing I'm concerned with now is being in my 70s and being able to be proficient. I mean, I'm going deaf; I've got tinnitus. My hands just about work. I mean, I am hoping that people will come along and see me [for] more than [because] I am a curiosity. I know that is part of it, because it’s amazing to myself that I am still here."

I hope for Clapton's sake he can keep making the music that he and many of us love for as long as he still can. He has definitely earned the semi-retirement. After 5+ decades of bluesing around the world and recording masterpiece after masterpiece he doesn't need to do big tours any more. As long as Clapton can play what he wants when he wants, that's all that matters.

Monday, January 8, 2018

Zakk Wylde's Drinking Problem Started by Ozzy Osbourne



Up until a little over eight years ago, Ozzy Osbourne and Black Label Society guitarist Zakk Wylde had one of the worst drinking problems in the world of rock n' roll. However, he managed to get clean in 2009 and has stayed on the wagon since. Recently Wylde has come forth to state that it was Osbourne who caused his drinking problem in the first place.

In a recent interview on The Jenny McCarthy show (which can be viewed above), Wylde describes the way he got run off the rails on Ozzy Osbourne's crazy train, saying:

“I was 19, right before I turned 20. That’s when my drinking problem began. I drank until then, and then it was just double-fisting from that point on. When I first started with [Ozzy], I remember Sharon [Osbourne], who I lovingly refer to as Mom – because she's been like my mom since I was 19 years old – she called [Wylde’s wife] Barbaranne up and goes, ‘Excuse me, Barbaranne…’

I would be the only one that would hang out with Oz, because everyone else was like, 'I don't want to get stuck in the web and get, you know, canned over here, because I'm the one enabling him. But I would always hang out with him, because I was just like, ‘Man, how come nobody wants to hang out with Ozzy?’ Then they go, ‘Jackass, you must be a rookie, and you have no idea what's going on around here.’

So anyway, I'd hang out with [Ozzy] all the time and we'd be drinking. But the whole thing is, [Sharon] would go, ‘Barbaranne, does Zakk have a drinking problem?’ She goes, ‘Oh, no, no – he drinks milk!’ [Sharon] goes, ‘Not anymore, he doesn’t. A lot of my friends went to college, and I went to Ozzy Osbourne University, which was like 'Animal House' on steroids.”

It is absolutely no surprise to me that Ozzy would have been the cause or at least the catalyst for anyone having a drinking problem, especially during the late 80's. I'm just glad for Wylde that he managed to clean up his act after a two decade addiction. Not many people can accomplish such a feat, but he did it. As for Ozzy, I wonder how he is going to feel about this interview.

Check out my latest work on Salute!

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #147

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Rumble, by Link Wray

In the 50's, one of the coolest rock n' roll instrumentals of all time came out. With just a few chords and some creative amplifier tricks Link Wray crafted a tune with some serious swagger to it that has influenced countless artists all over the world for the past six decades. This is psychedelia before psychedelia was even a thing. I guess you don't need much to make something great as long as you have that creativity, drive, and passion.



2. Moonlight Sonata, by Unkown

This is one of the coolest rock/metal renditions of Ludwig Van Beethoven's best composition ever. It captures the pure, raw emotion of the original while bringing it to a whole other level. Sadly I have been unable to track down who did it. Many people on YouTube say it was Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but I checked and it was not. Regardless, kudos to whomever recorded this. You did a fantastic job and I wish I could give you the proper credit that you deserve.




3. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, by Monty Python


Some things in life are bad. They can really make you mad. Other things just make you swear and curse. When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble Give a whistle. And this'll help things turn out for the best. And...




4. Tornado of Souls, by Megadeth

The Rust in Peace album to this day in my opinion is Megadeth's magnum opus, their masterpiece. Nothing they did before or have done since comes anywhere close to the astounding level of musicianship that was put into this album. This song in particular features explosive guitar work, intense rhythms, and creepy yet powerful vocals. I honestly feel this tune doesn't get talked about anywhere near as much as it should.




5. Mainline, by Kiss

This in my opinion is one of the most overlooked Kiss songs of all time. It features drummer Peter Criss on lead vocals and he surprisingly does a pretty decent job at it. While Paul Stanley probably could have done the song better, Criss still gives it a certain quality that no one else could ever replicate or surpass. It's simple, melodic, straightforward, and fun. Some times that's all a song needs to be in order to stick with you.



Saturday, January 6, 2018

Paul McCartney Finishing Up New Album

Photo courtesy of Ultimate Classic Rock


It's been close to five years since we got a new album from former Beatles front man Sir Paul McCartney. His most recent studio effort was 2013's New. However, the wait may finally soon be over, as McCartney says he is "putting the finishing touches" on a new record.

In a recent Q&A on his official website, McCartney was asked what his plans for 2018 were, to which he responded "I'll probably be putting out a new album." Later on in the Q&A he added that he was "putting the finishing touches to it now."

 According to McCartney the currently untitled album will feature a lot of high profile artistic collaborations as well as a song about Donald Trump.

McCartney gives the vibe that he is mostly making this album for his own personal satisfaction. He talks about it in the Q&A, saying:

"I’d like that to be something I really love and then hopefully the fans will love it too. I would like to achieve making that a really great album. Fingers crossed! That’s not what it’s called, but fingers crossed! [Pauses] It could be … it could be the new album title."

I for one am looking forward to this record. While admittedly I have not loved everything McCartney has done as a solo artist, there is almost always a handful of tunes on any record he does that I treasure and play over and over again. When New came out I had the whole record on repeat for at least a couple months. Hopefully this will be the case for the new record.

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Throwback Thursday: "Brothers", by The Black Keys



By the year 2010 The Black Keys had become a very different band than they had been when they had gotten started nearly 10 years prior. Where once they were a lo-fi rough cut heavy blues band, they were now going for a more radio friendly sound that would in turn bring more commercial success and introduce the band to a wider audience. All of this and more happened with their 2010 LP Brothers.

Brothers is where the more modern alternative psychedelic stuff that had been introduced on Attack & Release started to take more of the forefront of The Black Keys' music. There was still some bluesy rock n' roll in there, but this is where it was starting to take a backseat to the direction the band wanted to go. This time around, many of the songs are slowed down and given a bit more of a somber vibe than the band's previous music. It still has some of the best songs from The Black Keys though like "Everlasting Light", "Howlin' for You", "Tighten Up", etc.

"Everlasting Light" starts the album with a really nice steady groove in a similar vein to T. Rex's "Mambo Sun". This is one of the first times I have ever heard guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach sing with such a falsetto. He doesn't do too bad at it. It's one of those songs where it's more about losing yourself in the rhythm and chugging of the train that is "Everlasting Light" rather than chord progression and melody.

"Howlin' for You" is one of the Black Keys' biggest hits and to this day is still used in sports arenas across the world to get the fans riled up and full of energy. It's kind of plain to see why this is so due to the swinging and thundering nature of the song. The riff is ginormous and the vocal melody that goes along with it is easy to latch onto. It's definitely one of my favorites off the Brothers record because this still sounds fairly close to old Keys.

If you're a fan of the more recent stuff from The Black Keys or are the type who listens to their local alternative station a lot then this is the album you will want to start off with. While it is by no means my favorite Black Keys record by any stretch of the imagination, I would be lying if I said there weren't a handful of tunes from it that I absolutely love. To me it's a mixed bag, but your reaction might be different.

Brothers, by The Black Keys receives 3.25 out of 5 stars.

Track List

1. Everlasting Light
2. Next Girl
3. Tighten Up
4. Howlin' for You
5. She's Long Gone
6. Black Mud
7. The Only One
8. Too Afraid to Love You
9. Ten Cent Pistol
10. Sinister Kid
11. The Go Getter
12. I'm Not the One
13. Unknown Brother
14. Never Gonna Give You Up
15. These Days

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Black-Keys/dp/B003L0HZ5O/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1515102115&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Black+Keys+Brothers

Check out my latest article on Salute!

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

What's Up For 2018?



Howdy, folks! Happy new year! I hope your holidays were joyful, fun, and safe! Since I did one of these posts last year, I figure why not this year? Today I feel like starting the new year off by talking for a bit about what to expect from the next 365 days.

Last year I promised more album reviews than the year before that and I think I did a pretty decent job on delivering with that. Mental health problems still got in the way from doing as many as I would have liked, but I did the best I could to plow through and give you as many as I could manage. That said, I will be continuing to do the best I can to give you as many reviews on new albums as I can. I don't promise more than last year, but as many as I can muster.

I will also continue to bring you more Op-Ed pieces, as those seemed to garner quite a few reads last year. I love it when I can take a break from doing a news story or a review and just be candid for a minute with you all on a topic I've been thinking about. Plus, it kind of gives me the opportunity to explore a topic even more and come to a different conclusion than I had before. I will definitely be doing the best I can to bring you more of those as well.

The only area I feel I kind of fell through on is Top 5/10/whatever lists. This year I want to try a bit harder at getting more of those out because there are so many cool topics to explore with these kinds of lists. I've done some good ones before, but I still feel like there is more water to tread here. Any suggestions would definitely be welcome and appreciated.

I also have a bit of news to share with you all. I recently just picked up a paid gig writing for Salute Magazine. As you might have guessed, I am a music writer there. I cover a variety of genres of music, not just rock and metal. I pick up whatever rock and metal stories I can, but you will still often see me do something entirely different. I don't mind though because it's an opportunity for me to give something else a chance and become an even stronger writer.

Don't worry, though. This blog isn't about to turn into pop, rap, EDM, country, etc. posts. It's still all rock n' roll all the time here. The most influence that my new job will have here is if I discover something from an assignment that I think you guys might be interested in, I'll share it with you

What does this all mean for Young Ears, Fresh Perspective, you ask? At this point, virtually nothing. I will still be posting five stories a week on every day except Tuesdays and Saturdays as usual. You will still get the same kind of content you have been getting from me.

I will however be posting links to my articles that I wrote for Salute that day because the more people who take a gander at them, the more I get paid. I won't force any of you to do that, but it would be much appreciated.

In a nutshell, that is pretty much what to expect from 2018. I would of course like your feedback on any kinds of stories or features you would like me to run here. I'm here to satisfy your rock n' roll journalism needs. The happier you guys are, the happier I'll be. That said, let's have the best year we possibly can!

Check out my latest article on Salute! It helps me keep the lights on!